Punjab / I won't quit Congress: MP and Amarinder Singh's wife Preneet Kaur

Patiala: As former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh declared that he is on his way out of the Congress, his wife and Congress MP Preneet Kaur made it clear that she is going to stay put and not follow her husband out of the party “as of now”.

“I will stay in the Congress and will stick to my position (as MP). I have no intention of quitting,”said Kaur, a Lok Sabha MP from Patiala constituency. Amarinder Singh’s Patiala Urban seat which he represents in the Punjab assembly is one of the nine seats that fall under the parliamentary constituency represented by Kaur. It is widely acknowledged that Preneet Kaur used to have the last word on matters related to the nine assembly segments while Amarinder Singh was chief minister. Seven of the nine seats are with the Congress.

Preneet Kaur justified Amarinder Singh’s decision, underlining that some Congress leaders humiliated him and set a wrong precedent.“He is the senior-most leader of the Congress in the country. He brought the party back to power in Punjab when it was losing one after another state. He was humiliated and thus decided to leave the party. It is wrong to maltreat a leader who brought historic victory for the party.”

The veteran Congress leader met Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, sparking speculation that he was in exit mode and could either float his own party or join the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On Thursday, Amarinder Singh confirmed that he wasn’t going to stick around in the Congress.

“I will not join BJP (but) I will not stay in the Congress party,” the 79-year-old leader said, adding that he was still thinking through his options in the interest of Punjab as security of the state was the predominant priority for him.

“I will not be treated in this humiliating manner...I will not take such insults,” he said, adding that his principles and beliefs do not allow him to stay in the Congress any longer.

Asked if it would be awkward for her to continue in the party after her husband’s leaves, Preneet Kaur said,” “It is awkward because some leaders mishandled the situation”.

She, however, declined to speak on her future plans.“I won’t comment about future plans, but as of now, every worker is upset about whatever is going on in the party in Punjab. I will stick in the party (Congress) as of now”, she said.

Some Congress MLAs from Patiala district, mostly seen as loyalists of Preneet and Amarinder Singh, have decided not to leave the party and join Amarinder Singh.“I will remain in the party”, said an MLA close to Amarinder Singh.